ETHNIC NORMS AND THEIR TRANSFORMATION THROUGH REPUTATIONAL CASCADES

Ethnic norms are the ethnically symbolic behavioral codes that individ uals must follow to retain social acceptance. They are sustained partl y by sanctions that individuals impose on each other in trying to esta blish good credentials. This essay analyzes the ''ethnification'' proc ess through which ethnic norms become more demanding. The argument hin ges on interdependencies among individual behaviors. These allow one p erson's adjustments to trigger additional adjustments through a reputa tional cascade-a self-reinforcing process by which people motivated to protect and enhance their reputations induce each other to step up th eir ethnic activities. According to the analysis, a society exhibiting low ethnic activity generates social forces tending to preserve that condition; but if these forces are overcome, the result may be massive ethnification. One implication is that similarly developed societies may exhibit very different levels of ethnic activity. Another is that ethnically based hatreds constitute by-products of ethnification rathe r than its mainspring.